Aechmea plant named ‘Fantasy’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aechmea  plant named ‘Fantasy’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; unique white, light green and green variegated foliage with green-colored margins and white, light green and green-colored longitudinal stripes; inflorescences held upright and above foliage on strong scapes; tightly branched inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts; and long-lasting inflorescences.

Botanical designation: Aechmea chantinii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FANTASY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aechmea,botanically known as Aechmea chantinii and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘Fantasy’.

The new Aechmea is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of theAechmea chantinii cultivar Fantasia, not patented. The new Aechmea wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population ofplants of ‘Fantasia’ in a controlled greenhouse environment inPrinceton, Fla. in May, 2003. The new Aechmea was selected based on itsunique variegated leaves; plants of the cultivar Fantasia have solidgreen-colored leaves.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aechmea by offsets in a controlledenvironment in Princeton, Fla. since June, 2004, has shown that theunique features of this new Aechmea are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Fantasy has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fantasy’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fantasy’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofAechmea:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.    -   2. Unique white, light green and green variegated foliage with        green-colored margins and white, light green and green-colored        longitudinal stripes.    -   3. Inflorescences held upright and above foliage on strong        scapes.    -   4. Tightly branched inflorescences with red-colored flower        bracts.    -   5. Long-lasting inflorescences.

Plants of the new Aechmea differ from plants of the parent, the cultivarFantasia, primarily in leaf color as plants of the cultivar Fantasiahave solid green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Aechmea can be compared to plants of the cultivarHarvey's Pride, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,075. Plants of thenew Aechmea and the cultivar Harvey's Pride differ primarily in leafcolor as plants of the cultivar Harvey's Pride have yellow and greenvariegated foliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Aechmea, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Aechmea.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Fantasy’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Fantasy’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a top perspective view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Fantasy’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Princeton, Fla. during the springand summer under commercial practice in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse with day temperatures averaging 31° C. and night temperaturesaveraging 18° C. The polypropylene shade cloth provided a 74 percentdecrease in ambient light levels. Single plants used for the photographsand description were about 14 months old and grown in 23-cm containers.In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Aechmea chantinii cultivar Fantasy.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Aechmea    chantinii cultivar Fantasia, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By offsets.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two to three weeks.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four months.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white to            brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright and outwardly arching growth            habit. Rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming            outwardly arching with development. Plants readily produce            offsets.        -   Crop time.—From offsets, typically about 11 to 14 months are            required to produce flowering finished plants in 23-cm            containers; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height, soil surface to top of leaf canopy.—About 64            cm.        -   Plant height, soil surface to top of inflorescence.—About 87            cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 76 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis.        -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Margin.—Entire with very sharp spines.        -   Length.—About 51 cm.        -   Width.—About 7.6 cm.        -   Aspect.—Concave.        -   Texture.—Upper and lower surfaces, smooth; glabrous;            leathery; thick; lower surface, glaucous.        -   Color.—Young and mature leaves, upper surface: Towards the            margins, more green than 146A; central parallel longitudinal            stripes, 146A, 144A, 154A and close to 158A. Young and            mature leaves, lower surface: Towards the margins, 146A;            central parallel longitudinal stripes, 146A, 144A and close            to 158A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence form.—Large terminal inflorescences arranged            in tightly branched and spirally twisting lateral panicles            supported by erect and strong scapes. About 24 lateral            panicles each with about 22 individual flowers. Flowers            ovoid in shape; bright red, white and yellow flower bracts.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Aechmea            are very long-lasting; typically bract color will be            maintained for about two to four months.        -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 31 cm. Width: About 26 cm.        -   Lateral panicle size.—Length: About 11 cm. Diameter: About 4            cm.        -   Flower size.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.        -   Primary bracts.—Arrangement: Subtend each panicle. Shape:            Linear. Length: About 10.5 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm. Texture:            Glaucous. Color: Close to 53A to 53C.        -   Flower bracts.—Arrangement: Closely adhered to sepals.            Shape: Elongate, sharply acuminate. Length: About 2.5 cm.            Width: About 1.2 cm. Texture: Smooth. Color: Initially            yellow green, 154A, becoming bright yellow, 9A, then red,            close to 53A to 53C, starting at the base.        -   Petals.—Appearance: Not united, usually with two scales            inside of sepals. Color: Close to 154A. Scape: Strength:            Very strong. Aspect: Typically erect. Length: About 87 cm.            Diameter: About 1.25 cm. Texture: Sticky, glaucous. Color:            Close to 53C to 53D. Reproductive organs: Inconspicuous.            Seed: Seed production has not been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Aechmea have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 9° C. to about 35° C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Aechmea has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct Aechmea plant named ‘Fantasy’ as illustrated anddescribed.